J.LO AND A-ROD SPLIT BECAUSE THEY ARE ‘BETTER AS FRIENDS’

NEW YORK: Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and former New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement because “we are better as friends,” announcing the breakup on Thursday just months after denying their four-year relationship was on the rocks. “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so,” Lopez, 51, also known by her nickname J.LO, and Rodriguez, 45, known as A-rod, said in a joint statement. “We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects,” Lopez and Rodriguez said. One of the biggest celebrity couples in the United States for the past four years and sometimes known in the media as J-rod, Lopez and Rodriguez said they would largely remain mum about the split out of respect for their children from previous relationships. “We wish the best for each other and one another’s children,” they said.